North Point Water Tower
North Point Water Tower | |
North Point Water Tower | |
| Location | East North Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°03′35″N 87°52′48″W / 43.05971°N 87.87987°W |
| Architect | Charles A. Gombert |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000088 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1973 |
The North Point Water Tower was built in 1873 and 1874 as part of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's first public waterworks, with Victorian Gothic styling for the exterior. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[1][2]
History
The City of Milwaukee was authorized by the Wisconsin Legislature to construct the water tower in 1871.[3] Designed by Charles A. Gombert, it was built out of limestone from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin to house the wrought iron standpipe.[4] It was first put in service on September 14, 1847. By the mid-20th century, improvements in pumping technology made the standpipe unnecessary. The North Point Water Tower ceased operation in 1963 following the completion of the Howard Avenue Water Purification Plant, when electric pumps replaced the older steam-powered equipment that had previously required the tower’s standpipe system. [5][6] In 1968, the Milwaukee Landmark Commission designated the tower as an official landmark and on February 23, 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
According to Urban Milwaukee, the building was estimated to cost $8,000 upon completion but instead amounted to $50,891.82.[8]
North Point Pumping Station below the bluff drew water from Lake Michigan and pumped it onward into the municipal waterworks. [9] The pipe inside the tower—four feet across and 120 feet tall—served to buffer the rest of the waterworks from destructive pulsations from the massive pumps. The standpipe was surrounded by the stone tower to keep its water from freezing.[4]
References
- ^ "North Point Water Tower". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ "North Point Water Tower". Landmark Hunter.com. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ "Old North Point Water Tower". Historical Marker Database.org. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ a b Jones, Catherine. "North Point Water Tower". Encyclopedia of Milwaukee.
- ^ Marsha Weisiger. "North Point Water Tower". sah-archipedia.org. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
- ^ "The North Point Water Tower - A Milwaukee Icon". Milwaukee Water Works. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ^ Molly Snyder (May 31, 2011). "Peek inside the North Point Water Tower". Onmilwaukee. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
- ^ Milwaukee, Urban. "North Point Water Tower". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
- ^ Mary Ellen Wietczykowski; Donald N. Anderson (May 9, 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: North Point Water Tower". National Park Service. Retrieved January 23, 2020. With one photo.